Caring about you
by Rose-Aki
Summary: The Straw Hats meet Lola and her crew again and of course this has to be celebrated. However after two of Lola's crew members drink too much they reveal something that they shouldn't. How will Nami react when she finds out what Zoro has done for their captain at Thriller Bark. Zoro/Nami


A/N: First of all I want to thank everyone who reviewed or added my other two One Piece stories to their Favorites, I really appreciate it. Now I hope you enjoy this story :)

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It came as a surprise to the Straw Hats when they met Lola and her crew again in the new world. While the crew had clearly gotten stronger as well over the time they had not seen each other, the fact that Lola was still single hadn't changed. After Lola had once again unsuccessfully proposed to all the male crew members of the Straw Hats, Luffy decided that they would have a party to celebrate that they had met again. Everyone was sure this was only an excuse for their captain to eat a lot of meat, but no one was complaining about spending time with their old friends.

After Nami had talked to Lola and she had told her about her adventures and the men she had asked to marry her, the navigator challenged a few of the Rolling Pirates to a drinking competition. Of course Nami insisted that there should be prize money for the winner, after all she was sure she would win. She was about to ask Zoro to join her when she saw that he was just in the middle of a fight with Sanji. Deciding that she wasn't going to get involved with whatever their problem with each other was now, she focused on the mug of sake in front of her.

Not even half an hour later most of the contestant had passed out while Nami didn't even feel tipsy. Only the Risky Brothers were still in, but when Nami turned to them she saw that they were already very drunk. This was really easy money. While the navigator was already thinking about what she wanted to buy from her prize money, one of the men next to her spoke up.

"The Straw Hats are such a great crew." It was hard to understand what he was saying because he slurred his words, but Nami still caught it.

"Yeah, especially that swordsman and cook. They really gave everything at Thriller Bark for their captain." The other added, not less drunk.

"What do you mean?" Nami asked interested. They had all fought alongside Luffy and despite that Zoro and Sanji were the strongest crew members next to their captain Nami didn't know why the Risky Brothers made such a big deal out of it.

"I'll tell you, but you can't tell any of the Straw Hats about this."

Nami had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. They were clearly too drunk to realize that they were talking to the navigator of the Straw Hats. However she was curious now, so she didn't point his faulty logic out to him and just nodded in understanding.

"That cyborg wanted to take your captain, but the swordsman told him to take him instead. He was willing to trade his life for Luffy." One of them began.

"Then the cook wanted to take his spot, but he didn't let him. That cyborg somehow pulled all the pain out off Luffy and put it into a bubble and then the swordsman took in all the pain." The other continued.

After hearing those words Nami froze. She had hoped that those two would tell her something embarrassing so that she could blackmail them into giving her money or just a funny drunken story, but this was just shocking her. Thriller Bark had been an awful adventure and hearing now what must have happened while they had been passed out was even more horrifying. When Copper had treated Zoro, the small doctor had told them that the swordsman was in the worst shape he had ever seen him in, while Luffy had been jumping around like nothing had happened. It all made sense now, but with that came another realization.

Thinking about Zoro offering his life for their captain made Nami's heart squeeze painfully. Over the two years she had spent on Weatheria she had thought a lot about the swordsman. There had always been attraction between them, but slowly she had realized that there were more feelings involved on her part. She considered her whole crew her family, but with Zoro it had always been different. At first she had tried to deny these new feelings and it had worked as long as she had fully focused on her training at Weatheria, but as soon as she had seen him after the two years her feelings had hit her with full force. That didn't mean that she would say anything to him. She didn't know how he felt about this matter so she held back from saying anything.

Now however that she heard what Zoro had done on Thriller Bark she once again realized how deep her feelings for him really ran. Next to the concern she felt, there was another emotion and at displaying this one she was a lot better. Stranding up she saw from the corner of her eyes that the two crew members of the Rolling Pirates had finally passed out, but right now she didn't even care about the money she just won.

It didn't take long for Nami to find the person she was searching for. He stood a little to the side with a mug of sake. At a quick pace she was next to him in seconds and hit him over the head.

"You're an idiot."

"What did you do that for?" Zoro looked annoyed at her.

"Idiot." She took another step closer and began hitting him on the chest.

"Oi woman stop that." The swordsman finally caught her hands that hadn't stopped rapidly hitting him. "What is your problem?"

Thankfully most of the others were already passed out, but two members of the Straw Hats still stood close by and watched what was going on. Robin didn't say anything while Sanji was about to step in and scold Zoro for holding Nami's hands when he stopped in his tracks at Nami's angry voice.

"My problem? You're really asking me what my problem is? Then let me give you an answer. You. You're the problem. Back at Thriller Bark you wanted to give your life for Luffy."

There was silence for a moment and not only Zoro was surprised but Sanji and Robin were as well. Nami, who finally realized that the two had been watching them looked closely at them. The cook had a guilty expression on his face and even Robin wasn't looking at her. That was the moment Nami realized something.

"You two knew about this."

Of course, the Risky Brothers had told her that Sanji had wanted to step in, but Nami had assumed that Sanji didn't know more about it. As for Robin, now that Nami thought about it, the archaeologist tend to always know everything that was going on due to her powers.

Her words made Zoro turn to the other two crew members.

"Don't tell Luffy about this."

Before any of them could tell him that they would never do that his attention was pulled back to the woman that was so close to him.

"That is all you're worrying about?" She angrily pulled her hands out of his. "What about the pain you went through? What about you risking your life? Chopper told me that he never saw you so badly injured before."

"I survived it." Zoro brushed it off, unknowingly upsetting Nami even further.

"Don't you even care that there are people that you mean so much to that they can't stand the thought of losing you?" Then her anger slowly vanished and her next words were only a whisper. "What about me? I don't want to lose you. I just can't."

Zoro seemed to stiffen at that and Nami looked to the side to not see his reaction. Trying to focus on something else rather than her rapidly beating heart she saw how Robin pulled a protesting Sanji away from the scene, it seemed the archaeologist wanted to give them some privacy.

"Nami." Zoro's voice was firm but gentle and the navigator took a deep breath before looking back up at him. She hadn't meant to tell him her feelings, because that was basically what she had just done with reacting the way she did, but now that they were out in the open she knew that she had to face the consequences of telling him.

"You shouldn't feel that way about me." These were the words she had feared to hear. This was clearly a rejection, but she had seen it coming. He didn't feel the same for her. Now all she could do was at least save their friendship.

"Don't you think I know that." She took a step back from him and looked away from his eye. "Just forget I said anything, I know you see feelings just as a distraction and you would never fall for a woman as demanding as me."

"I didn't say that." At his words a small flicker of hope filled Nami's heart and she finally made eye contact with him. When he took a hold of her chin and leaned down a little Nami hold her breath, awaiting what he would say now. "If the same situation would arise again, I would do what I did back then. I want to fight the strongest out there and I won't stop to put my life on the line without a second thought when it can save my friends. That's the way I chose a long time ago, but can you accept that?"

Nami knew what he was trying to say. Zoro always fought right next to Luffy and he wouldn't step down from that position. What he had done for their captain at Thriller Bark was what he would do in every similar situation. Seeing how she reacted just now, after finding out about all that had happened, she could understand why he asked her this important question. So what was her answer? Could she accept it?

Only thinking about Zoro putting himself in danger made Nami's heart squeeze painfully. After she had lost Bellemere she had sworn to herself that she would never care about other people again. However then she had met the Straw Hats and had found a family in them that she cared deeply for. When she had realized her feelings for Zoro, she had immediately known that a possible relationship between them wouldn't be easy. They were both very different and she would worry about him getting hurt in every battle they would fight, but then again she was sure that she wanted to be with him. The attraction that had always lingered between them had become so much more and Nami didn't want them to go back to being just friends. She had fallen for the man in front of her for a reason and of course she had known what she was getting herself into. Taking a deep breath Nami looked into Zoro's eye.

"I know that you want to be the world's greatest swordsman and if someone can do that I'm sure it's you. Of course you'll be right next to Luffy in every battle and I'll worry about you, but I want to be with you." She stepped closer to him and took the hand, that was still placed on her chin, in hers. "Do you want this?"

Now Nami could only hope that she had interpreted his words right and that he was willing to risk it. She knew that he cared deeply for his friends, but also that he was wary when it came to allowing himself to feel emotions that he considered vulnerable.

A moment later she was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt a hand on her cheek and saw the gentle expression in Zoro's eye. Despite that he didn't say anything Nami knew what this meant, he was just as ready as she was to give them a chance. With Zoro, actions always spoke louder than words and when he leaned down and their lips met in a passionate kiss it was more than enough to prove that he felt the same.

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A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)


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